Data protection: We will not pass your details on to external partners without asking your permission

Baroness Estelle Morris review opens the dialogue on building a stronger cultural sector

Date: 14 July 2011

Area:
National

Arts Council England has commissioned Baroness Estelle Morris to review our 10-year strategic framework, Achieving great art for everyoneand provide us with an independent, expert view on how our strategic goals could best reflect the museums and libraries sectors alongside the arts. Download the report here.

From 1 October 2011 the Arts Council will take over a number of the functions relating to museums and libraries, following the closure of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The review highlights that while the sectors are different from each other, they share common goals and we should celebrate that fact not be afraid of it. They are equally diverse, each offering a wealth of different experiences.

We believe that this wider remit offers a moment of real opportunity for the arts and culture sector that can benefit the public. For the first time we can look at our cultural offer across museums, libraries and the arts and how we can work together to benefit audiences and users. This will be all the more important in today’s difficult economic climate.

Starting the dialogue

We want to use this review to frame our thinking and start a wider conversation with the sectors on how we work together to build a stronger cultural sector. It will help us to:

broaden our dialogue with the libraries and museums sectors around our future role

join the debate so we can make the very best of what is a huge opportunity and responsibility

We want to encourage as many people as possible to use Baroness Morris’s thinking to stimulate their own thoughts and ideas on how we will work together with museums and libraries to build a stronger cultural sector.

What happens next

It is important to understand that we see conversations like this as the beginning of a long term, ongoing dialogue.

We will listen to what the sectors have to say over the summer and in September we will publish a companion document to Achieving great art for everyone, to reflect what our goals look like for a wider cultural sector.